POLL: New Optimism on Economy Since Inauguration, Repug Party favorables (31%) lowest in 25 years.

[jefferson_dem]

Poll Finds New Optimism on Economy Since Inauguration
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and MEGAN THEE-BRENAN

Americans have grown more optimistic about the economy and the direction of the country in the 11 weeks since President Obama was inaugurated, suggesting that he is enjoying some success in his critical task of rebuilding the nation’s confidence, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

These sometimes turbulent weeks — marked by new initiatives by Mr. Obama, attacks by Republicans and more than a few missteps by the White House — do not appear to have hurt the president. Americans said they approved of Mr. Obama’s handling of the economy, foreign policy, Iraq and Afghanistan; fully two-thirds said they approved of his overall job performance.

By contrast, just 31 percent of respondents said they had a favorable view of the Republican Party, the lowest in the 25 years the question has been asked in New York Times/CBS News polls.

It is not unusual for new presidents to enjoy a period of public support. Still, the durability of Mr. Obama’s support contrasts with that of some of his predecessors at the same point in their terms. It is also striking at a time when anxiety has gripped households across the country and Mr. Obama has alternately sought to rally Americans’ spirits and warn against economic collapse as he seeks Congressional support for his programs.

The poll found that 70 percent of respondents were very or somewhat concerned that someone in their household would be out of work and looking for a job in the next 12 months. Forty percent said they had cut spending on luxuries, and 10 percent said they had cut back on necessities; 31 percent said they had cut both.

For all that, the number of people who said they thought the country was headed in the right direction jumped from 15 percent in mid-January, just before Mr. Obama took office, to 39 percent today, while the number who said it was headed in the wrong direction dropped to 53 percent from 79 percent. That is the highest percentage of Americans who said the country was headed in the right direction since 42 percent said so in February 2005, the second month of President George W. Bush’s second term.

The percentage of people who said the economy was getting worse has declined from 54 percent just before Mr. Obama took office to 34 percent today. And 20 percent now think the economy is getting better, compared with 7 percent in mid-January.



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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/us/politics/07poll.html?hp

[FrenchieCat]

1. Thank goodness......cause folks around here don't seem to understand

that 1/2 of any economic success no matter the approach
is the critical task of rebuilding the nation’s confidence.
Without it, we get no investors and we end up in shit's creek.

That's why those with the lovely idea of just nationalizing everything,
miss the part about the foreign investors (can you say China?)
turning away as fast as they can from this US economy with their hair on fire.
That's part of what Krugman misses big time...
but what Barack Obama is quite aware of.
Because if those holding our debt in their hands panic at
what appears to be a dire extreme solution as a first option,
we ain't gonna have nothing left to save, after they are through walking.

Taxpayer might think they are getting fleeced now under Geithner's proposal,
well they will have not seen anything till our debt is called in,
and our DOW goes down to 4,000.
That's our real option of a nightmare that so many still insist upon,
and that I'm glad President Obama was been too smart to take.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. Thanks for the clarification.

[mkultra]

9. yup, the economy is the most important item in the first 100 days

If he can stop the slide and get growth restarted, then jobs will come back. To many people at the bottom of the ladder are out of work because of Bush and his dumb as financial policies. Rich people don't give a shit if the economy tanks. In fact, i think they like it.

[firedupdem]

2. Thanks for posting this. n/t

[Drunken Irishman]

4. The best one is about keeping us safe!

haha, I love it.

[Adelante]

5. Terrific

The country understands what's what.

[Teaser]

6. BUT TIM GEITHNER!!!!!!!!!!

.

[Beetwasher]

7. Repubs Look At These Data And Shit In Their Pants

n/t

[bdamomma]

8. repigs just do not want to help the American people.

silently we are proving our point of supporting a President who is for the American people.